Improvement in biers



G. W. LA BAW.

' Bier.

Patented Feb. 16, 1 864.

Witnesses:

MFErERs. PHOTmUTHOGRAPHEiI, WA SHINGTON. D11

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. LA BAWV, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 41,626, dated February 16, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. LA BAW, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and Improved Bier; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a plan of said bier as in place over a grave, partof the frame being removed to show the lowering apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Similar marks of reference denote the same parts.

The nature of my said invention consists in a frame carryinglowering-pulleys, and provided with handles and legs fitted in such a manner that they can be slid in and folded up, in order that the frame may go freely into the hearse and hold the coffin within it; and upon arriving at the cemetery the frame and coffin are drawn out of the hearse, the handles pulled out, and the legs turned down to form a bier, on which the coffin is borne to the grave and placed directly over the excavation, and then the coffin is lowered gradually and without effort to its resting-place by means of the pulleys in said frame. .The ropes are then disconnected by a peculiar de vice and wound up again upon the pulleys.

In the drawings, a represents the coffin, or

' box containing said coffin.

b is a frame made of an upper and lower rail united by uprights or ties, and to the corners of this frame the legs 0 c are attached by a screw or bolt and can be turned up into the position shown in Fig. 2 by red lines, or turned down to support said bier-frame.

d d are handles fitted in mortises in the frame I), so that they can be slid out for use or pressed in when placed on the hearse, so as not to occupy so much space and allow the said frame to go into an ordinary hearse.

e is a cross-shaft rotated by a crank, f, and carrying pinions 9 that gear into wheels h on the pulleys 2. These wheels and pulleys are sustained between the rails of the frame 11, and eachof thepulleys' z is adapted to the winding up of two ropes. These ropes 7c and I pass through eyes or blocks 1) on the frame b at distances suitable for receiving the coffin at the points where the ropes cross the frame, and are connected to each other at that may be wound on a reel, '01.

their ends. The ends of these ropes are to be formed as loops; and I place one loop through the other and insert a pin, as seen at m m, and to each of these pins a cord is attached The coffin, as conveyed from the hearse to the grave, rests on the ropes 7c andl at the points where they cross the frame, and a pin may be introduced at 0 to take the teeth of h and pre vent the ropes unwinding. When the coffin is to be lowered, this pin 0 is withdrawn, and by the crank f the turning of the pulleys t is regulated, so that the ropes k and Z are passed out gradually andlower the coflin perpendicularly into the grave, and upon drawing out the pins m by their cords the loops are disconnected and the ropes can be drawn up, thus avoiding the usual difficulty of getting the ropes out from under the coffin.

The cords to the pins m m might pass through eyes or pulleys to a reel on the shaft 6, to unwind as the coffin is lowered, and to wind up -the cord simultaneously with the ropes.

The eyes or pulleys p p may be made adjustable lengthwise 0f the frame, so as to suit different lengths of coffins.

The excavation for the grave is shown in brown lines, Fig. 1.

It will be seen that the pulleys i 2' having a division or barrel for each rope, the winding up or giving out of the four ropes is uniform.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The frame b, fitted, as specified, with the folding legs 0, and sliding handles (1, to form a bier adapted to the hearse or to being carried by hand, as set forth.

2. The pulleys z i, fitted, as specified, with separate divisions for each rope, in combination with the crossshaft e, and gears g and h, whereby all four ropes passing to the coffin will be let off or wound up with uniformity, as set forth.

3. The pins m, introduced through the loops at the ends of the ropes, for disconnecting them, as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 29th day of October, A D. 1863.

GEORGE V. LA BAXV.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, Tnos. Gno. HAROLD. 

